The secrets of a 72-year marriage from the 'Original Grandparents'
(CNN) -- Harry and Barbara Cooper are telling everyone how their marriage has lasted seven decades.
On the day of their 72nd wedding anniversary, they leaned toward each other, hands tenderly clasped, as they peered into the camera.
'It's a give-and-take situation," said Harry, as Barbara, giggled. "I give, and she takes."
This is an unconventional showcase for any elderly couple in their retirement home, but a typical day for two of the oldest bloggers in Los Angeles, California. Harry recently turned 98. Barbara is 93. The Coopers rely on their granddaughters to videotape their chat, which is later posted on their blog, "The OGs" (short for Original Grandparents).
Harry and Barbara have become an internet sensation, attracting thousands of fans since their blog debuted in late 2008. Their grandchildren helped them launch the OG blog as a way for them to share their wisdom, humor and relationship with the rest of the world.
When most people their age shy away from the mysteries of the Internet, the pair boasts 1,900 Facebook fans. Barbara, whose dark hair has turned to a wispy white, also tweets and posts restaurant reviews on Yelp.
But perhaps what's most fascinating for readers isn't the couple's ease with the Web, but it's the strength of their marriage. At a time when statistics show every other marriage ending in divorce in the U.S., Harry and Barbara have proved a relationship can last a very long time.
They have witnessed important moments in history together -- World War II, President Kennedy's assassination and the terror attack on New York's Twin Towers.
They've been inseparable since they first met on a tennis court in Los Angeles in 1937. Harry, then 24, was playing a game while Barbara, then 19, showed up with friends in her high heels. She caught his attention.
"Barbara was a pretty girl," he recalls. "She was very, very polite, and we got along pretty good."
On their first date, Harry took her for a drive in his car, and they did what most young love birds did back then: They munched on popcorn and listened to crooner Bing Crosby.
Harry proposed swiftly, about four months after their first date. He had asked Barbara's father for permission to pop the question. Harry sold himself as a hard-working man with $116 proudly saved in his bank account.
The couple were outside a jewelry shop in Pasadena, California, window-shopping when Harry turned to Barbara and said, "Someday, I'm going to buy you a ring like this."
He gave her gold wedding band with small diamonds. She kept the ring on her finger until her elbow surgery a few years ago.
Over the years, he proved himself to be a fine husband, Barbara said. In addition to serving in the Army, Harry was a delivery man and started a shoe business. At one point, he worked a dangerous position as a boilermaker's helper. Barbara spent most her time at home, raising their two children.
"It was happy," said Barbara about the early years of their marriage. "It was building one dollar on top of another."
By the 1960s, their children, who had been the center of their worlds, had grown into young adults ready to start families of their own. Their initial years as empty-nesters were challenging, but the couple found comfort in each other.
Barbara describes Harry as a sweet, content and happy man.
Harry holds similar feelings. He calls Barbara his "guiding light."
Harry and Barbara celebrated their 25th anniversary with a trip to Europe. Then the first grandchild came. Today, they have seven of them.
The couple can't remember what they did for their 50th anniversary, but for Harry's 80th birthday, they recalled, the family went on a three-day cruise to Mexico.
"We are just content individuals," Barbara said, adding, "We landed on our feet. We have a fine family."
But the couple experienced several emotional setbacks in 2007 when both their children, who were in their mid-60s, died. One died from a heart attack and one from cancer. The couple battled anguish and sadness after their children's deaths.
Granddaughters Kim Cooper, now 43, and Chinta Cooper, now 21, who live in the Los Angeles area, encouraged their grandparents to move to a nursing home nearby. There, the blog was born.
"They are so adorable together," Kim says. "Their incredible romance shines through in everything they do. They are funny, inventive, unusual characters."
Barbara was a pretty girl. She was very, very polite, and we got along pretty good.
--Harry Cooper, 98
In the video segments on the OGs, viewers can easily spot the enduring bond between Harry and Barbara. They lean in on each other and stare at each other when they talk. They laugh and smile together. They make being married, even at their old age, look effortless.
Barbara is better known as "Cutie" on their blog, where she wears several hats. As a food critic, she recently wrote a review of French pastries at a local restaurant. She danced in a video where she showcased her moves, waving her arms and sashaying her hips. In another post, she offered her opinion of Lady Gaga's music video "Alejandro."
"I think it's nothing new, it's nothing charming," Barbara wrote in the music-related post last month. "It's got no message. I'm sorry, I did not enjoy this."
Readers can also seek Barbara's advice on the "Ask Grandma" video series. Even with her meek voice, she delivers no-nonsense answers on friends, family and relationships.
Harry appears online as "PopPop," a nickname given to him by his granddaughter Kim when she was a child. He's the quieter sidekick in the duo, but he has his own section of the blog called "PopPop's Adventure Corner," where he tells jokes and sings songs he learned in the Army.
When Harry isn't blogging, he enjoys eating raw fish, spicy foods and Chinese dumplings. He broke his leg last year and now has titanium in his thigh. He uses a walker now, his family says, and requires more care than Barbara.
Barbara spends her days watching daytime judge shows and, of course, she visits Harry every morning. She suffered a heart attack a few years back but has been healthy since then.
So what's the secret to their marriage?
"We have a solid marriage," Barbara says. "It isn't Romeo and Juliet every day, but Harry thinks I'm OK, and I love him. We are accepting of each other."
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Harry and Barbara Cooper of Los Angeles, California have been married for 72 years
They launched a blog in 2008 offering reviews, advice and a glimpse at their relationship
The blog is called "The OGs," which is short for Original Grandparents
They met on a tennis court in Los Angeles in 1937
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Watch Online Fresh News: Man convicted of murdering 5 children executed in Ohio was executed by intravenous lethal injection. Video.
Man convicted of murdering 5 children executed in Ohio
(CNN) -- William Garner, 37, who was convicted of murdering five children in 1992 in Cincinnati, Ohio, was executed by intravenous lethal injection at 10:38 a.m. Tuesday at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility in Lucasville, Ohio, according to the state's Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.
The execution procedures started at 10 a.m., and 20 minutes later, Garner began receiving a lethal dose of sodium thiopental, according to department spokeswoman Julie Walburn.
When the coroner first came in to examine the body, he saw no signs of life but thought he may have heard a faint heartbeat, Walburn said. She said state protocol required the coroner to wait five more minutes, then re-examine Garner. At that point, the coroner declared the inmate was dead.
Lethal injection is the only legal means of execution in Ohio.
Garner declined having a last breakfast Tuesday morning, but had quite a feast for his final "special meal" Monday night. Walburn said Garner downed Porterhouse steak with A1 sauce, onion rings, fried shrimp, barbecue ribs, potato wedges with cheese, sweet potato pie, chocolate ice cream, barbecue wings, salad, Funyuns and Hawaiian punch.
Garner spent his final morning with some loved ones. His sister, niece and mother were allowed to have noncontact cell visits between 6:30 and 8 a.m., Walburn said.
He also received communion from his spiritual adviser before the warden read the death warrant at 9:45 a.m., Walburn said.
Both the Ohio Supreme Court and the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied Garner's appeals Monday for a stay of execution.
According to the report prepared for Garner's death penalty clemency hearing, on January 26, 1992, Garner took Addie Mack's address and apartment keys from her purse while Mack was being treated at a local hospital emergency room. Then, he went to Mack's home to, in his words, "take her things," the report said.
Garner admitted stealing a television, a VCR, a telephone and a radio boom box from the apartment while running into one of the six children, ages 8 to 13, who were sleeping in the apartment that night. Then, on Garner's way out, he set fire to the apartment, even though he knew there were children inside, the report said.
The five youngest children died of smoke inhalation. They were Mykkila Mason, 8; Deondra Freeman, 10; Markeca Mason, 11; Richard Gaines, 11; and Denitra Satterwhite, 12.
Thirteen-year-old Rod Mack, Addie's son, was the only survivor. Rod and Addie Mack attended Tuesday's execution, and four of the victims had family members or some sort of representative there, Walburn said.
Garner's public defenders argued at the clemency hearing that his "violent and dysfunctional" upbringing and "limited intellect, with a history of developmental disorders since birth and brain impairment from lead poisoning" should merit a stay of execution. But the courts disagreed.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
NEW: William Garner had a huge last supper Monday night, spent time with family Tuesday
NEW: The sole survivor and some victims' family members witnessed the execution
Ohio executed Garner by lethal injection at 10:38 a.m. ET Tuesday
Garner was convicted of killing five children in 1992 after burglarizing, setting home on fire
(CNN) -- William Garner, 37, who was convicted of murdering five children in 1992 in Cincinnati, Ohio, was executed by intravenous lethal injection at 10:38 a.m. Tuesday at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility in Lucasville, Ohio, according to the state's Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.
The execution procedures started at 10 a.m., and 20 minutes later, Garner began receiving a lethal dose of sodium thiopental, according to department spokeswoman Julie Walburn.
When the coroner first came in to examine the body, he saw no signs of life but thought he may have heard a faint heartbeat, Walburn said. She said state protocol required the coroner to wait five more minutes, then re-examine Garner. At that point, the coroner declared the inmate was dead.
Lethal injection is the only legal means of execution in Ohio.
Garner declined having a last breakfast Tuesday morning, but had quite a feast for his final "special meal" Monday night. Walburn said Garner downed Porterhouse steak with A1 sauce, onion rings, fried shrimp, barbecue ribs, potato wedges with cheese, sweet potato pie, chocolate ice cream, barbecue wings, salad, Funyuns and Hawaiian punch.
Garner spent his final morning with some loved ones. His sister, niece and mother were allowed to have noncontact cell visits between 6:30 and 8 a.m., Walburn said.
He also received communion from his spiritual adviser before the warden read the death warrant at 9:45 a.m., Walburn said.
Both the Ohio Supreme Court and the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied Garner's appeals Monday for a stay of execution.
According to the report prepared for Garner's death penalty clemency hearing, on January 26, 1992, Garner took Addie Mack's address and apartment keys from her purse while Mack was being treated at a local hospital emergency room. Then, he went to Mack's home to, in his words, "take her things," the report said.
Garner admitted stealing a television, a VCR, a telephone and a radio boom box from the apartment while running into one of the six children, ages 8 to 13, who were sleeping in the apartment that night. Then, on Garner's way out, he set fire to the apartment, even though he knew there were children inside, the report said.
The five youngest children died of smoke inhalation. They were Mykkila Mason, 8; Deondra Freeman, 10; Markeca Mason, 11; Richard Gaines, 11; and Denitra Satterwhite, 12.
Thirteen-year-old Rod Mack, Addie's son, was the only survivor. Rod and Addie Mack attended Tuesday's execution, and four of the victims had family members or some sort of representative there, Walburn said.
Garner's public defenders argued at the clemency hearing that his "violent and dysfunctional" upbringing and "limited intellect, with a history of developmental disorders since birth and brain impairment from lead poisoning" should merit a stay of execution. But the courts disagreed.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
NEW: William Garner had a huge last supper Monday night, spent time with family Tuesday
NEW: The sole survivor and some victims' family members witnessed the execution
Ohio executed Garner by lethal injection at 10:38 a.m. ET Tuesday
Garner was convicted of killing five children in 1992 after burglarizing, setting home on fire
Watch online Fresh News:Eighteen people were killed and 57 others are missing as Tropical Storm Conson moved over the Philippines,Video.
18 dead, 57 missing after Tropical Storm Conson rakes Philippines
(CNN) -- Eighteen people were killed and 57 others are missing as Tropical Storm Conson moved over the Philippines, the country's National Disaster Coordinating Council reported Wednesday.
The storm, known locally as "Basyang," had weakened slightly, the council said. As of 4 p.m. Wednesday (4 a.m. ET), its maximum sustained winds were at 53 mph (85 kph) near its center and gusts of up to 62 mph (100 kph).
Conson made landfall on the northern Philippine island of Luzon late Tuesday, about 41 miles (66 kilometers) east of the capital, Manila. It was back over the South China Sea, about 112 miles (180 kilometers) west of Iba, as of Wednesday afternoon.
Four people died when a warehouse under construction collapsed, the council said. Several people were hit by fallen debris and several others drowned. Twelve people were injured by debris. The missing included 25 fishermen.
Nearly 500 houses were reported damaged. Many were still without power, although it had been restored in some areas. More than 4,000 people were stranded in various ports, along with 26 vessels, the council said.
The storm is expected to move into southern China on Friday, but the Joint Typhoon Warning Center is predicting little or no intensification before landfall there. Heavy rain and flooding will be a concern for southern China.
The storm became the first typhoon of 2010 on Monday before losing some steam. While some flooding was reported after heavy rains, most roads and bridges were passable, the council said.
(CNN) -- Eighteen people were killed and 57 others are missing as Tropical Storm Conson moved over the Philippines, the country's National Disaster Coordinating Council reported Wednesday.
The storm, known locally as "Basyang," had weakened slightly, the council said. As of 4 p.m. Wednesday (4 a.m. ET), its maximum sustained winds were at 53 mph (85 kph) near its center and gusts of up to 62 mph (100 kph).
Conson made landfall on the northern Philippine island of Luzon late Tuesday, about 41 miles (66 kilometers) east of the capital, Manila. It was back over the South China Sea, about 112 miles (180 kilometers) west of Iba, as of Wednesday afternoon.
Four people died when a warehouse under construction collapsed, the council said. Several people were hit by fallen debris and several others drowned. Twelve people were injured by debris. The missing included 25 fishermen.
Nearly 500 houses were reported damaged. Many were still without power, although it had been restored in some areas. More than 4,000 people were stranded in various ports, along with 26 vessels, the council said.
The storm is expected to move into southern China on Friday, but the Joint Typhoon Warning Center is predicting little or no intensification before landfall there. Heavy rain and flooding will be a concern for southern China.
The storm became the first typhoon of 2010 on Monday before losing some steam. While some flooding was reported after heavy rains, most roads and bridges were passable, the council said.
Watch Online Fresh News: The Argentine Senate is debating a same-sex marriage bill
Argentinian lawmakers voting on same-sex marriage
(CNN) -- Debate was under way Wednesday in Argentina's Senate on a same-sex marriage bill that already has passed the lower chamber of Congress. A vote was expected later Wednesday.
The bill would give same-sex couples equal marriage rights, including the ability to adopt children.
Addressing claims that church leaders have been lobbying lawmakers about the proposal, Sen. Miguel Angel Pichetto told the state-run Telam news agency that he had not been pressured.
"There is some pressure in some provinces where the church plays a prominent role, but such is democracy," he said.
Thousands of people protested the measure Tuesday in front of Argentina's Congress in marches convened by Catholic and evangelical churches in the country.
"We don't want a negative tint, that's not the objective of the march, but to propose and promote marriage as we understand it, between a man and a woman," said Justo Carbajales, representative of the Episcopal Church in Argentina, according to Telam.
A smaller, but just as boisterous, group of counter-protesters in favor of the bill congregated in another part of the city.
On the eve of Wednesday's vote, Senate Provisional President José Pampuro told Telam that he would vote "affirmatively for gay marriage."
Last month's congressional vote and Wednesday's Senate vote are the latest moves in a pro-gay marriage trend in Argentine politics.
Last year, a judge in Buenos Aires ruled that a ban on same-sex marriage was illegal, paving the way for such marriages in the capital of Argentina. An injunction by another judge stopped what would have been the first same-sex marriage there.
Ultimately, Latin America's first same-sex marriage happened in Argentina in a southern state with a pro-gay marriage governor.
Now, the issue has reached beyond local and state politics to the national stage.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
NEW:
The Argentine Senate is debating a same-sex marriage bill
The bill would give same-sex couples equal marriage rights and ability to adopt children
Catholic and evangelical churches in Argentina have organized protest marches
Thousands of protesters demonstrated in front of the Argentine Congress
(CNN) -- Debate was under way Wednesday in Argentina's Senate on a same-sex marriage bill that already has passed the lower chamber of Congress. A vote was expected later Wednesday.
The bill would give same-sex couples equal marriage rights, including the ability to adopt children.
Addressing claims that church leaders have been lobbying lawmakers about the proposal, Sen. Miguel Angel Pichetto told the state-run Telam news agency that he had not been pressured.
"There is some pressure in some provinces where the church plays a prominent role, but such is democracy," he said.
Thousands of people protested the measure Tuesday in front of Argentina's Congress in marches convened by Catholic and evangelical churches in the country.
"We don't want a negative tint, that's not the objective of the march, but to propose and promote marriage as we understand it, between a man and a woman," said Justo Carbajales, representative of the Episcopal Church in Argentina, according to Telam.
A smaller, but just as boisterous, group of counter-protesters in favor of the bill congregated in another part of the city.
On the eve of Wednesday's vote, Senate Provisional President José Pampuro told Telam that he would vote "affirmatively for gay marriage."
Last month's congressional vote and Wednesday's Senate vote are the latest moves in a pro-gay marriage trend in Argentine politics.
Last year, a judge in Buenos Aires ruled that a ban on same-sex marriage was illegal, paving the way for such marriages in the capital of Argentina. An injunction by another judge stopped what would have been the first same-sex marriage there.
Ultimately, Latin America's first same-sex marriage happened in Argentina in a southern state with a pro-gay marriage governor.
Now, the issue has reached beyond local and state politics to the national stage.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
NEW:
The Argentine Senate is debating a same-sex marriage bill
The bill would give same-sex couples equal marriage rights and ability to adopt children
Catholic and evangelical churches in Argentina have organized protest marches
Thousands of protesters demonstrated in front of the Argentine Congress
Watch Online Fresh News: Acclaimed Russian pianist Mikhail Pletnev, who has been charged with sexually abusing a teen-aged boy in Thailand,Video
Pianist accused of child sex will continue concert schedule
Mikhail Pletnev was arrested Monday inside his house in Pattaya, Thailand.
Moscow, Russia (CNN) -- Acclaimed Russian pianist Mikhail Pletnev, who has been charged with sexually abusing a teen-aged boy in Thailand, will continue his concert schedule but will return to that country to appear in court, the musician's spokeswoman said Thursday.
Pletnev is expected to arrive in Moscow Thursday night and then will head to the former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia for a July 12 concert, the spokeswoman said. He starts a tour in the United States on July 18 and at some point will fly to Thailand to attend a court hearing, the spokeswoman added.
Pletnev was arrested and released on bail Tuesday, a police official involved with the investigation told CNN. A Russian diplomat in Thailand said the pianist denied the charges, the official Russian news agency Itar-Tass said.
He was charged with raping a 14-year-old boy in a Thai beach town, a crime that carries a maximum prison term of 20 years upon conviction, Thailand's official MCOT news agency reported.
Pletnev was released on $9,000 bail and ordered to be back in the country by July 18, according to Itar-Tass.
Russia demanded clarification of the sex abuse charges against its Grammy-winning pianist, the state-run news agency RIA-Novosti said.
"The Russian Culture Ministry together with Russian Foreign Ministry have forwarded an urgent order to the Russian Embassy in Thailand to make all necessary efforts to clarify the situation and to offer maximum consulate protection to the distinguished musician," according to an online Cultural Ministry statement cited by RIA-Novosti Wednesday.
Itar-Tass said the allegations against Pletnev were based on the testimony of a Thai citizen who claimed that he helped arrange the pianist's purchase of sexual services.
Mikhail Pletnev was arrested Monday inside his house in Pattaya, Thailand.
Moscow, Russia (CNN) -- Acclaimed Russian pianist Mikhail Pletnev, who has been charged with sexually abusing a teen-aged boy in Thailand, will continue his concert schedule but will return to that country to appear in court, the musician's spokeswoman said Thursday.
Pletnev is expected to arrive in Moscow Thursday night and then will head to the former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia for a July 12 concert, the spokeswoman said. He starts a tour in the United States on July 18 and at some point will fly to Thailand to attend a court hearing, the spokeswoman added.
Pletnev was arrested and released on bail Tuesday, a police official involved with the investigation told CNN. A Russian diplomat in Thailand said the pianist denied the charges, the official Russian news agency Itar-Tass said.
He was charged with raping a 14-year-old boy in a Thai beach town, a crime that carries a maximum prison term of 20 years upon conviction, Thailand's official MCOT news agency reported.
Pletnev was released on $9,000 bail and ordered to be back in the country by July 18, according to Itar-Tass.
Russia demanded clarification of the sex abuse charges against its Grammy-winning pianist, the state-run news agency RIA-Novosti said.
"The Russian Culture Ministry together with Russian Foreign Ministry have forwarded an urgent order to the Russian Embassy in Thailand to make all necessary efforts to clarify the situation and to offer maximum consulate protection to the distinguished musician," according to an online Cultural Ministry statement cited by RIA-Novosti Wednesday.
Itar-Tass said the allegations against Pletnev were based on the testimony of a Thai citizen who claimed that he helped arrange the pianist's purchase of sexual services.
Watch Online Fresh News:Pamplona's final day of running with bulls is bloodiest of the 7-day festival Nine injured in final bull run,Video.
Chilean gored in Pamplona’s running of the bulls
July 14 - Pamplona's final day of running with bulls is bloodiest of the 7-day festival
Nine injured in final bull run
A 23 year old Chilean was injured this morning in the Spanish city of Pamplona after he was gored by a bull on the final day of Fiesta de San Fermin.
The youth, identified as Emiliano Alonso Vilches Ceardi, was gored in the chest and right thigh by the bull Gavioto, in what many have called the most dangerous running of the bulls event this year.
Ceradi was admitted to the Hospital Virgen del Camino where he remains in a stable condition. In an interview with Radio Cooperativa, Ceradi said “A horn went through (…) the right side of my chest about 27 inches, it is a miracle it didn’t pierce my heart or a lung or anything… I’m dying of pain but good.”
The run became dangerous when Gavioto, a red colored bull weighing half a ton, was left behind the rest of the herd after some of the bulls slipped while going around a curve. He was the last bull to make it to the finish and three times he turned back and charged runners.
This race was one of the longest of the season at four minutes, 23 seconds.
According to the Red Cross, 376 people were wounded during the holiday, which began on April 6th. While most were minor injuries 37 people were admitted to hospital.
There were 9 other injuries during this run. Among the wounded was an Irishman who suffered face and chest injuries, a 24-year-old Briton who was gored in the groin, and local whose left arm was stabbed.
There have been 15 deaths in the Pamplona bull run since 1910. Yearly there are around 200-300 injuries, with most being minor
contusions from falls.
The last death occurred in 2009 when 27-year-old Spaniard Daniel Jimeno Romero was gored to death in the final run.
tags
chest,chile, Emiliano Alonso Vilches Ceardi, Fiesta de San, Fermin,Gavioto,gore,injured,Pamplona,Red Cross,running of the bulls, wound,
Watch Online Fresh News: Seven people were killed and one injured when a house collapsed in Cairo.Video.
Seven killed in building Collapse in Cairo
Cairo - Seven people were killed and one injured when a house collapsed in Cairo before dawn on Wednesday, Egyptian security sources said.
Eight labourers were living in old one-storey house in the low- income neighbourhood of Darb el-Ahmar. The men were asleep when the house collapsed, the sources said.
Orders for the demolition of the house were never executed, according to the sources.
The accident came less than two weeks after the collapse of a building in the city's crowded neighbourhood of Shobra which left seven dead, including three children.
Cairo's governor, Abdelazim Wazir, has noted that most of the buildings that have collapsed in the city, did so after demolition orders were issued.
Demolitions are often stalled or prevented by the owners of the dilapidated buildings, the governor said.
tags
egypt,accidents,cairo,seven,people,killed,one,injured,egypt Video, accidents Video.
Cairo - Seven people were killed and one injured when a house collapsed in Cairo before dawn on Wednesday, Egyptian security sources said.
Eight labourers were living in old one-storey house in the low- income neighbourhood of Darb el-Ahmar. The men were asleep when the house collapsed, the sources said.
Orders for the demolition of the house were never executed, according to the sources.
The accident came less than two weeks after the collapse of a building in the city's crowded neighbourhood of Shobra which left seven dead, including three children.
Cairo's governor, Abdelazim Wazir, has noted that most of the buildings that have collapsed in the city, did so after demolition orders were issued.
Demolitions are often stalled or prevented by the owners of the dilapidated buildings, the governor said.
tags
egypt,accidents,cairo,seven,people,killed,one,injured,egypt Video, accidents Video.
Watch Online fresh News: Six female suicide bombers preparing attacks in central Russia have been arrested in Dagestan.Video,
Russia arrests bomb suspects Six Female Suicide Bombers Arrested in Dagestan
14 July 2010
Combined Reports
Six female suicide bombers preparing attacks in central Russia have been arrested in Dagestan, the National Anti-Terror Committee said.
The women, who were aged 15 to 29, were the widows of Islamic militants killed by the authorities, the committee said in a statement late Monday.
It was unclear how close the women were to carrying out attacks, but the statement said they had written good-bye letters to their families.
"Officers seized the detained suspects' farewell letters to their families, expressing their wish to end their lives and advising their 'sisters' to follow suit," it said.
A video played on state television showed two handguns, a silencer, a belt for explosives and three grenades. A young girl in a gray headscarf was shown describing how she was trained to use grenades.
The six women were among eight people detained in a house in Makhachkala, the capital of Dagestan, the committee said.
One of the other detainees arranged for the transportation and lodging of the two female suicide bombers who attacked the Moscow metro on March 29, killing 40 people, it said.
"One of the detained men delivered the suicide bombers who committed terrorist acts at the Lubyanka and Park Kultury metro stations in March of this year," the statement said.
Authorities have said both women who blew themselves up in the Moscow attack were natives of Dagestan, which has eclipsed nearby Chechnya as a center of rebel activity.
Meanwhile, gunmen have killed a policeman who earlier had lost his father, mother and sister to attackers in Dagestan, local Interior Ministry spokesman Vyacheslav Gasanov said Tuesday.
Police Lieutenant Rasul Magomedov was gunned down Monday afternoon outside a village police station, he said.
Magomedov's father, a district police commander, was killed by insurgents in 2008. The next year, his mother and sister were killed in a bomb blast at the cemetery where they were visiting the father's grave.
Also Monday, police investigator Akhmad Gadzhiev was shot and killed while driving in the Khasavyurt area near the border with Chechnya, according to another ministry spokesman, Magamet Tagirov.
tags
Russia, Moscow, Russian news, Moscow news, Russian newspaper, daily news, independent news, reliable news, USSR, Soviet Union, CIS, Russian politics, Russian business, Russian culture, Russian opinion, St Petersburg, Saint Petersburg, oligarch, Kremlin, Berezovsky, Khodorkovsky, Abramovich, Putin, Yeltsin, Kursk, KGB,
Watch Online Fresh News:A woman who pleaded guilty to having sex with the biological son. Video.
A woman who pleaded guilty to having sex with the biological son
she gave up for adoption and later tracked down on the Internet has been sentenced nine years to 30 years in prison.
Aimee L. Sword, 36, of Waterford Township apologized at her sentencing Monday in Oakland County Circuit Court. She had pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct in a deal with prosecutors.
Police say Sword used Facebook in 2008 to find her son, who’s now 16. She gave him up for adoption when he was only a few days old, the Detroit Free Press reported.
“When she saw this boy, something just touched off in her — and it wasn’t a mother-son relationship, it was a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship,” the newspaper quoted attorney Mitchell Ribitwer as saying. “Aimee’s searching for a reason why this happened. She can’t understand it. She’s going to get some counseling.”
The boy testified they had sex in Waterford Township and Grand Rapids when he was aged 14.
Waterford Township is 30 miles northwest of Detroit
36-year-old Aimee L. Sword, Waterford, Michigan resident, apologized yesterday during her sentencing in Oakland County. She pleaded guilty of first-degree sexual misconduct after reaching an agreement with the prosecutors.
Sword used Facebook to track her son, now 16, in 2008. She has said they only had sex once, but the boy claims they had sex more than once including a Grand Rapids hotel and her home. During that timeSword was married and lived with her husband and five children of different ages.
“When she saw this boy, something just touched off in her—and it wasn’t a mother-son relationship, it was a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship,” said Sword’s
Sword recently wrote on her MySpace page that she was inspired by rapper and former prison inmate Lil' Kim because "she rises during the worst of obstacles." "Reminded me of myself," Sword wrote on the Web page, where she uses the name Aimee Pope.
She had originally been charged with three counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct. Sword was arraigned on April 24th and given a $1,000 bond for each criminal charge, but with the option of posting 10 percent for her release. Two of those charges were dropped last Wednesday when Sword declined to exercise her right to a preliminary examination during a hearing before Judge Sword Phyllis C. McMillen in 51st District Court in Waterford. Source: Oakland Press
Could someone please tell me why her bond was only $1,000? It is amazing that this dirtbag is also free on bond. Why? Clearly this is a miscarriage of justice and this woman's bond should have been denied. Had this been a man who was accused of the same crime, he would have been thrown in prison until his hearing.
UPDATE: Sword will face at least nine years behind bars for having sex with her son, according to the Detroit Free Press. This POS should be passed around like a soccer ball by her prisonmates. At the time of the incident, Sword was married and lived with her husband and five children who ranged from toddlers to teens.
tags
tags: A woman named Aimee L. Sword, Aimee L. Sword, Aimee L. Sword Goes to Jail | Aimee Louise Sword, Arrested and Charged with rape, criminal sexual conduct, Lil Kim, myspace, Waterford Township | View Comments
Watch Online News: Spain's players lifted the World Cup for the first time in the European nation's history.
Spain: The greatest of all time?
Spain's players lifted the World Cup for the first time in the European nation's history.
Johannesburg, South Africa (CNN) – After 64 games and 145 goals, we have new world champions. And worthy ones at that. Spain were the best team at the 2010 World Cup, and they deserved to take home the trophy from South Africa.
As I walked away from Soccer City Stadium on Sunday night, I felt privileged to have watched, in person, one of the best national teams of all time. You could argue the contrary, saying they scored only eight goals in seven games, but I can’t recall watching a national side that played with the class and the skill La Furia Roja did here in the Rainbow Nation.
In my view, the only reason Spain didn’t score more often was that every team they faced played in a counter-attacking style and tried to close every path to their goal.
So let’s look at why Spain were so good.
The first comment to make is an obvious one and it concerns the chemistry in their midfield. Andres Iniesta and Xavi have played together at Barcelona for eight seasons and it shows. It seems as if they work by telepathy, exchanging pass after pass with ease.
Now one can’t forget that both midfield maestros are able to do what they do best, thanks to two unsung heroes in the center of the park - Xabi Alonso and Sergio Busquets. They defend when they have to and help with the transition of play every chance they get. As we say in Portugal, they “carry the piano” so Xavi and Iniesta can play it.
At the back, the player who impressed me the most was Sergio Ramos. He added a dimension to Spain which few teams had in this competition. The Real Madrid star was always willing to gallop forward when needed and he created chance after chance for his teammates. In the final, he could have scored twice with dangerous headers. For me, he was simply outstanding.
At the heart of defense, Gerard Pique was imperious and Carles Puyol effective. The Barcelona captain also became a hero in this competition by scoring the goal which beat Germany in the semifinals.
Moving forward on the pitch, David Villa was his usual lethal self up front. He hit the back of the net five times and could have finished the competition with more goals had it not been for inspired goalkeeping from Spain’s opponents. The new Barcelona signing leaves the World Cup with his reputation enhanced and his price tag of 30 million Euros suddenly looks a bargain.
One final word about the Netherlands. Their unbeaten run came to an end at the worse possible time. Under Bert van Marwijk they had gone 25 games without tasting defeat. On the big night, they just weren’t good enough. Wesley Sneijder had a quiet game, and Robin van Persie was a shadow of his former self. It shocked me, actually, to see how disinterested the Arsenal man was at times. His nation deserved better.
Spain's players lifted the World Cup for the first time in the European nation's history.
Johannesburg, South Africa (CNN) – After 64 games and 145 goals, we have new world champions. And worthy ones at that. Spain were the best team at the 2010 World Cup, and they deserved to take home the trophy from South Africa.
As I walked away from Soccer City Stadium on Sunday night, I felt privileged to have watched, in person, one of the best national teams of all time. You could argue the contrary, saying they scored only eight goals in seven games, but I can’t recall watching a national side that played with the class and the skill La Furia Roja did here in the Rainbow Nation.
In my view, the only reason Spain didn’t score more often was that every team they faced played in a counter-attacking style and tried to close every path to their goal.
So let’s look at why Spain were so good.
The first comment to make is an obvious one and it concerns the chemistry in their midfield. Andres Iniesta and Xavi have played together at Barcelona for eight seasons and it shows. It seems as if they work by telepathy, exchanging pass after pass with ease.
Now one can’t forget that both midfield maestros are able to do what they do best, thanks to two unsung heroes in the center of the park - Xabi Alonso and Sergio Busquets. They defend when they have to and help with the transition of play every chance they get. As we say in Portugal, they “carry the piano” so Xavi and Iniesta can play it.
At the back, the player who impressed me the most was Sergio Ramos. He added a dimension to Spain which few teams had in this competition. The Real Madrid star was always willing to gallop forward when needed and he created chance after chance for his teammates. In the final, he could have scored twice with dangerous headers. For me, he was simply outstanding.
At the heart of defense, Gerard Pique was imperious and Carles Puyol effective. The Barcelona captain also became a hero in this competition by scoring the goal which beat Germany in the semifinals.
Moving forward on the pitch, David Villa was his usual lethal self up front. He hit the back of the net five times and could have finished the competition with more goals had it not been for inspired goalkeeping from Spain’s opponents. The new Barcelona signing leaves the World Cup with his reputation enhanced and his price tag of 30 million Euros suddenly looks a bargain.
One final word about the Netherlands. Their unbeaten run came to an end at the worse possible time. Under Bert van Marwijk they had gone 25 games without tasting defeat. On the big night, they just weren’t good enough. Wesley Sneijder had a quiet game, and Robin van Persie was a shadow of his former self. It shocked me, actually, to see how disinterested the Arsenal man was at times. His nation deserved better.
Watch Online Fresh News:Referees Defend Webb after World Cup final Criticism.
Referees Defend Webb after World Cup final Criticism.
Netherlands defender Joris Mathijsen makes his feelings clear to referee Howard Webb during the World Cup final
Former English Premier League referees have jumped to the defense of Howard Webb after criticism of his performance in Sunday's World Cup final.
Webb, the first referee to officiate the European Champions League final and World Cup final in the same season, dished out 13 yellow cards and one red as Spain defeated the Netherlands 1-0 in a tempestuous clash at Soccer City, Johannesburg.
Dutch coach Bert Van Marwijk and several of his players suggested the English official favored the Spanish, and Netherlands fans booed Webb and his assistants when they collected their medals after the game.
But ex-referee Jeff Winter, who took charge of several fiery encounters between English giants like Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool, was full of praise for Webb's performance in extremely testing circumstances.
Video: CNN's 2010 World Cup highlights
"I thought he had a superb game," Winter told CNN. "I find it very difficult to remember a more testing game than that at any level. I thought the players' behavior and discipline were abysmal.
"It was as if the Dutch had decided the only way they were going to stop Spain was by kicking them, harassing the referee and being obnoxious throughout.
"From a referee's point of view, if the players don't want to be controlled it's virtually impossible to control them. Had it had been a referee without his experience of the European game, they might have lost control within the first 30 minutes."
Webb's tally of 14 yellow cards -- including the red shown to Netherlands defender Johnny Heitinga in extra-time - was a record for the World Cup final.
Players from both sides flew into challenges from the first whistle and Dutch midfielder Nigel De Jong was fortunate to escape with only a yellow for a chest-high kick on Spain's Xabi Alonso.
It's not up to me to judge the performances of the officials, I can only say it was a very hard task that the referee trio had on the field of play
"Howard will never, ever, if he lives to be 100, referee a tougher match," Dermot Gallagher, another former Premier League referee, told Sky Sports News.
"If you take the De Jong tackle out -- I thought that was a red card -- other than that I don't think he's got much to really look back in anger at himself, because he's gone out, he's been tested to the absolute limit."
FIFA president Sepp Blatter also defended Webb's performance, stating that it was "not easy" to control such a match.
"It's not up to me to judge the performances of the officials, I can only say it was a very hard task that the referee trio had on the field of play," he told reporters in Johannesburg.
The defeat was the Netherlands' third in a World Cup final, and several of the players made Webb the target of their frustration.
The official declined to dismiss Spain center-back Carles Puyol for a tug on Arjen Robben as he bore down on goal in the second half and failed to award a corner to the Dutch when a free-kick was deflected wide shortly before Spain's goal.
"There were some strange decisions and for me, honestly, if you play a World Cup final, you need a world-class referee," Robben said, the U.K. Press Association reported.
Van Marwijk said Webb had not controlled the match, while Liverpool forward Dirk Kuyt said: "I know you cannot blame others, but the referee favored Spain."
Winter, Webb's room-mate when he joined the Premier League circuit in 2003, has no sympathy for the Dutch.
"To listen to Dutch players after the game blaming the referee for the defeat after they conducted themselves abysmally for the whole two hours is unbelievable," he said. "I hope when they look back at what they've said they are totally and utterly embarrassed."
Netherlands defender Joris Mathijsen makes his feelings clear to referee Howard Webb during the World Cup final
Former English Premier League referees have jumped to the defense of Howard Webb after criticism of his performance in Sunday's World Cup final.
Webb, the first referee to officiate the European Champions League final and World Cup final in the same season, dished out 13 yellow cards and one red as Spain defeated the Netherlands 1-0 in a tempestuous clash at Soccer City, Johannesburg.
Dutch coach Bert Van Marwijk and several of his players suggested the English official favored the Spanish, and Netherlands fans booed Webb and his assistants when they collected their medals after the game.
But ex-referee Jeff Winter, who took charge of several fiery encounters between English giants like Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool, was full of praise for Webb's performance in extremely testing circumstances.
Video: CNN's 2010 World Cup highlights
"I thought he had a superb game," Winter told CNN. "I find it very difficult to remember a more testing game than that at any level. I thought the players' behavior and discipline were abysmal.
"It was as if the Dutch had decided the only way they were going to stop Spain was by kicking them, harassing the referee and being obnoxious throughout.
"From a referee's point of view, if the players don't want to be controlled it's virtually impossible to control them. Had it had been a referee without his experience of the European game, they might have lost control within the first 30 minutes."
Webb's tally of 14 yellow cards -- including the red shown to Netherlands defender Johnny Heitinga in extra-time - was a record for the World Cup final.
Players from both sides flew into challenges from the first whistle and Dutch midfielder Nigel De Jong was fortunate to escape with only a yellow for a chest-high kick on Spain's Xabi Alonso.
It's not up to me to judge the performances of the officials, I can only say it was a very hard task that the referee trio had on the field of play
"Howard will never, ever, if he lives to be 100, referee a tougher match," Dermot Gallagher, another former Premier League referee, told Sky Sports News.
"If you take the De Jong tackle out -- I thought that was a red card -- other than that I don't think he's got much to really look back in anger at himself, because he's gone out, he's been tested to the absolute limit."
FIFA president Sepp Blatter also defended Webb's performance, stating that it was "not easy" to control such a match.
"It's not up to me to judge the performances of the officials, I can only say it was a very hard task that the referee trio had on the field of play," he told reporters in Johannesburg.
The defeat was the Netherlands' third in a World Cup final, and several of the players made Webb the target of their frustration.
The official declined to dismiss Spain center-back Carles Puyol for a tug on Arjen Robben as he bore down on goal in the second half and failed to award a corner to the Dutch when a free-kick was deflected wide shortly before Spain's goal.
"There were some strange decisions and for me, honestly, if you play a World Cup final, you need a world-class referee," Robben said, the U.K. Press Association reported.
Van Marwijk said Webb had not controlled the match, while Liverpool forward Dirk Kuyt said: "I know you cannot blame others, but the referee favored Spain."
Winter, Webb's room-mate when he joined the Premier League circuit in 2003, has no sympathy for the Dutch.
"To listen to Dutch players after the game blaming the referee for the defeat after they conducted themselves abysmally for the whole two hours is unbelievable," he said. "I hope when they look back at what they've said they are totally and utterly embarrassed."
Watch Online Fresh News:Uruguay striker Diego Forlan has won the FIFA Golden Ball award for the top player of the 2010 World Cup.
Forlan named World Cup's best player
Uruguay striker Diego Forlan has won the FIFA Golden Ball award for the top player of the 2010 World Cup after inspiring his country to its best performance at the global showpiece in 40 years. Forlan scores five goals as Uruguay reach semifinals.
Forlan, who plays for Spanish club Atletico Madrid, scored five goals as Uruguay reached the semifinals in South Africa. The 1930 and 1950 World Cup winners finished in fourth place after losing Saturday's playoff against Germany.
Forlan polled 23.4 percent of votes cast by journalists covering the World Cup, to finish ahead of Dutch playmaker Wesley Sneijder (21.8 percent) and Spain striker David Villa (16.9%).
"It's as great as it is unexpected," Forlan told governing body FIFA's website, revealing that his teammates reacted to his award by throwing him in the hotel swimming pool.
"I never even imagined something like this, nor did I have my sights set on it. I'm enjoying it and I'm delighted but I'm very aware that it's the result of the spectacular tournament the team has had."
Forlan ended a disappointing spell with England's Manchester United in 2005 to move to Spain, where he has twice finished as the league's top scorer.
He became the 2010 World Cup's joint leading scorer with a spectacular volley on Saturday before striking the bar from a free-kick in the dying moments of Germany's 3-2 victory.
Forlan's tally of five goals left him level with Sneijder, Villa and Thomas Muller, but the German forward claimed the Golden Boot award because he racked up a higher number of assists (three) than the others.
Muller, 20, who was instrumental in Germany's 4-1 demolition of England and the 4-0 thrashing of Argentina, was also voted the tournament's best young player.
He was suspended for the semifinal as Germany lost 1-0 to Spain but returned to score his fifth goal of the competition in the third-place playoff.
As well as the World Cup trophy, Spain will also fly home on Monday with the FIFA Fair Play Award after collecting only eight yellow cards in the tournament.
Spain's Iker Casillas was awarded the Golden Glove prize for the best goalkeeper after conceding just two goals in the tournament.
Uruguay striker Diego Forlan has won the FIFA Golden Ball award for the top player of the 2010 World Cup after inspiring his country to its best performance at the global showpiece in 40 years. Forlan scores five goals as Uruguay reach semifinals.
Forlan, who plays for Spanish club Atletico Madrid, scored five goals as Uruguay reached the semifinals in South Africa. The 1930 and 1950 World Cup winners finished in fourth place after losing Saturday's playoff against Germany.
Forlan polled 23.4 percent of votes cast by journalists covering the World Cup, to finish ahead of Dutch playmaker Wesley Sneijder (21.8 percent) and Spain striker David Villa (16.9%).
"It's as great as it is unexpected," Forlan told governing body FIFA's website, revealing that his teammates reacted to his award by throwing him in the hotel swimming pool.
"I never even imagined something like this, nor did I have my sights set on it. I'm enjoying it and I'm delighted but I'm very aware that it's the result of the spectacular tournament the team has had."
Forlan ended a disappointing spell with England's Manchester United in 2005 to move to Spain, where he has twice finished as the league's top scorer.
He became the 2010 World Cup's joint leading scorer with a spectacular volley on Saturday before striking the bar from a free-kick in the dying moments of Germany's 3-2 victory.
Forlan's tally of five goals left him level with Sneijder, Villa and Thomas Muller, but the German forward claimed the Golden Boot award because he racked up a higher number of assists (three) than the others.
Muller, 20, who was instrumental in Germany's 4-1 demolition of England and the 4-0 thrashing of Argentina, was also voted the tournament's best young player.
He was suspended for the semifinal as Germany lost 1-0 to Spain but returned to score his fifth goal of the competition in the third-place playoff.
As well as the World Cup trophy, Spain will also fly home on Monday with the FIFA Fair Play Award after collecting only eight yellow cards in the tournament.
Spain's Iker Casillas was awarded the Golden Glove prize for the best goalkeeper after conceding just two goals in the tournament.
Watch Online Fresh News: Shahram Amiri -- a nuclear scientist Tehran claimed was kidnapped by U.S. agents spoke in an interview
State media: Iranian scientist says he was abducted
Shahram Amiri -- a nuclear scientist Tehran claimed was kidnapped by U.S. agents -- told a state-run television station in Iran that he was abducted by U.S. intelligence officials and faced "psychological warfare and pressure that are much worse than being in prison."
State-run Press TV said Wednesday that Amiri spoke in an interview after his escape, telling the channel, "I think I will be unable to get into details during this limited period of time and I will postpone it to when I am hopefully in my dear country Iran, so I can speak to the media and my own people with ease of mind and tell them about my ordeal over the past 14 months."
Amiri has left the United States and is headed back to Iran, the country's state-run media said Wednesday morning.
"Following the Islamic Republic's efforts and with the effective cooperation of the embassy of Pakistan in Washington ... Shahram Amiri left the United States and will arrive in Tehran via a third country," the news agency, IRNA, reported -- quoting a foreign ministry spokesman.
Video: Iranian scientist 'free to go'
Amiri, who is a researcher from Tehran's Malek Ashtar University, mysteriously disappeared in June 2009 while on a religious pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia, according to Iranian media reports.
On Monday, Amiri went to Iran's Interest Section at the Pakistani Embassy in Washington and asked to be sent home.
The Iranian government has accused the United States of involvement in Amiri's disappearance, with Iran saying the researcher was taken to force him to give up data about Tehran's nuclear program.
A top Iranian lawmaker recently claimed that newly found documents back up Tehran's claims that the CIA is responsible for Amiri's disappearance, Iranian media reported Sunday.
Javad Jahangirzadeh, a member of Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, said Iranian officials had turned over the documents to the Swiss ambassador in Tehran.
The U.S. State Department has denied that charge.
A U.S. official, who is not authorized to talk to the media about such issues, told CNN last month that it would be "ludicrous, absurd and even preposterous" to claim an individual was kidnapped by the United States and held against his will.
Last month, two videos surfaced on the Internet of a man claiming to Amiri, in which he said he had escaped from U.S. agents and was hiding in Virginia.
That was the third time that videos allegedly showing Amiri had been circulated on the Internet.
In one, he said he had been kidnapped by U.S. agents. Another contradicted that claim and said he was living freely and studying in Arizona.
In one of the videos posted June 30 on YouTube and dated June 14, the man again said that he was brought against his will to the United States and fears he will be discovered and re-arrested.
"I am Shahram Amiri, the son of the Islamic Republic of Iran, who with God's help succeeded in running away from the U.S. security agents in the state of Virginia. I am [temporarily] at a safe place and I am trying to do this video but it is quite possible that I may shortly be again arrested by American security agents."
He went on to say: "I am not free here and not allowed to contact my family or other people. If I face any problems or if I do not return to my country soon, the government of the U.S. would be directly responsible for it."
CNN could not independently verify the authenticity of the videos, nor the identity of the man in them.
"If he is who people think he is, the U.S. would be in contact with the person," a CIA official said last month. And if he were being held against his will, "how would he have been able to produce any of the videos?" the official said.
In the second video that surfaced June 30 and dated June 23, the man claiming to be Amiri reassures his family about his well-being.
"I want to let my beloved family know that I am OK and they should not worry about my health," he says. "With God's help I shall return to my beloved country in the next few days. I want them to be, as always, strong and patient and to pray for my safe return. I hope to see you in our beloved country."
Tehran blamed Washington for Amiri's disappearance shortly after revelations surfaced that Iran has been building a second uranium enrichment facility near the city of Qom. After that, tensions over Iran's nuclear program mounted.
Iran claims its nuclear energy is solely for civilian purposes. But the United States has pushed the United Nations to punish Tehran for its nuclear ambitions. The Security Council recently slapped a fourth round of tough sanctions on the Islamic republic.
It is unclear how much information Amiri was privy to in Iran.
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